Coastal road should be named after Bal Thackeray: Mayor

It seems the tug of war between allies BJP and the Shiv Sena to take credit for fast-tracking the city's ambitious coastal road project is set to continue. On Thursday, Mumbai mayor Snehal Ambekar said that the Shiv Sena wants the government to name the road after late Sena supremo Bal Thackeray. She has written to Fadnavis, asking him to name the coastal road after the Sena founder.

"During the 2012 civic elections, the coastal road was one of the promises that we made to the citizens and Balasaheb had given his full support to the initiative. So, the project should be named after him. We will also ask the BJP to support us on this," Ambekar said, adding that the BMC was capable enough to handle the coastal freeway project and also make it toll-free.

Ever since the Centre gave its approval for the coastal road project, which will connect north and south Mumbai, both the ruling allies have been claiming credit for it. While the Sena say the project was envisaged by it, the BJP maintains that it was the Central government led by prime minister Narendra Modi that paved the way for it by granting crucial approvals.

"We should be credited for the completion of the project and for bringing smile on the faces of people...," the Sena had said in its mouthpiece 'Saamana' last month.

Revenue minister Eknath Khadse from the BJP had said that nobody except for his party should take credit for the project, while Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray had recently tweeted, saying, "The approvals had been received after Shiv Sena MPs sat outside Parliament demanding clearance."